Walking is key to Senior Health

David777

David777

Well-known Member
Location
Silicon Valley
There are many websites proclaiming the benefits of regular walking, especially for seniors. As seniors, a key to not degenerating, for those able, is Use It or Lose It, with regular walking outdoors, one of the few types of exercise that affects our whole bodies. The below is just one web link.

https://www.excellenceinfitness.com/blog/7-benefits-of-walking-every-day-for-older-adults/

How often and much do you walk?
Where do you walk to within say a mile of your residence?
Do you go anywhere without driving a vehicle?
 

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I, agree, walking is so important towards good health.

When having to "mail" something...I don't just put it in my mailbox at the end of the driveway with the flag up...good excuse for that much needed exercise.
walk it down to the community mailbox down the street.. 10 minutes to go and
10 minutes back... it's something..and better than nothing!
(At least one a week.sometimes more!)
 
I agree. I use to walk from 2 to 3 miles in different stores going up & down all the aisles. I went from 200 down to 165 lbs. Now I'm back up to 210 because of waiting on a new right knee replacement. I can't walk more than 1/2 mile according to my pedometer. I have to use a 4 wheeled walker to get around.
 

David777 said:
There are many websites proclaiming the benefits of regular walking, especially for seniors. As seniors, a key to not degenerating is Use It or Lose It, with regular walking outdoors, one of the few types of exercise that affects our whole bodies. The below is just one web link.

https://www.excellenceinfitness.com/blog/7-benefits-of-walking-every-day-for-older-adults/

How often and much do you walk?
Where do you walk to within say a mile of your residence?
Do you go anywhere without driving a vehicle?
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, extensive walking causes me a great deal of pain due to back muscle spasms. I walk every day as much as I dare.
 
I go for a fairly intense walk every 4 days or so like yesterday. My problem is that when I overdo it, I can't fall asleep that night like last night. Doing an online search, I think it's because cortisol is released which is a stress hormone and it throws me out of whack for a couple days. I need to find an antidote because walking is about the only outdoor activity I care to do in the winter.
 
David777 said:
There are many websites proclaiming the benefits of regular walking, especially for seniors. As seniors, a key to not degenerating, for those able, is Use It or Lose It, with regular walking outdoors, one of the few types of exercise that affects our whole bodies.
How often and much do you walk?
Where do you walk to within say a mile of your residence?
Click to expand...
I walk 7 days a week, either in the park(weather permitting) or on my treadmill & elliptical at home.

I have a Fitbit watch, great for keeping track of steps, heart rate, even sleep! I wear the Fitbit to bed to record how much REM and Deep Sleep I'm getting.
I try for 10K~15K steps every day, I am bound & determined to keep my health as best as it can be, probably because I neglected it for so much of my life. :rolleyes:
 
Not a healthy walk for this senior! ...

iu
 
Oh, I would give just about anything to live somewhere where I could get out and walk, like to stores, the library, etc. and have sidewalks to walk on like near civilization--oh, boy, do I miss sidewalks--and not have to walk through weeds and dust along the roads and highways. But it's too hot and smoky most of the year to go outside anyway around here.
 
Walking, or nearly Every kind of physical activity, is necessary if a person wants to maintain good health as they age. Sitting around in front of the TV and eating snacks all day is a sure recipe for filling the calendar with doctor visits.

I've lost many of my old friends in recent years, and most of them shared a couple of traits....sitting all day, snacking and drinking beer, and putting on excess weight.
 
We have a really nice park near us that has various walking paths/trails. Some hard surface some soft surface. We walk at least 5 days a week. In inclement weather like rain we have a pro series treadmill. High heat like 93 @6 a/m & cold like 35 degrees we dress to suit the conditions. I walk 3 miles at a 20 minute mile pace my wife does much better her pace is faster & she walks 10 minutes more than me. As I've posted in other threads between a good balanced diet & regular exercise our health is excellent.
 
I live in a third-floor walkup situated in a very walkable area of the city.

I usually walk to the local strip mall which is about a one-mile round trip.

IMO I don't walk fast enough to consider it good exercise, but it helps to limber me up and get a little fresh air.

I miss it on those days when I don't have some small errand to run.

"Don't go too fast but I go pretty far ..." - Melanie Safka, 1971
 
I walk the dog every morning. It's probably only about a mile, though, and we go fairly slow since my dog wants to sniff everything, so it's not really what you'd call vigorous exercise. And then we play soccer in the yard, which involves a bit of running around, so that's probably good. But my main form of exercise is when I bounce on the rebounder/trampoline and then work out with some free weights.

In just the past six months or so, I've noticed my skin doesn't fit as tightly as it used to — even with exercise. I'm getting old! :mad:
 
i started a walking goal on march 1st 2021
i walk at minimum 6 miles a day have places to walk etc here more just trails but could access some shops etc.
i always park as far away as i can when i do go shopping so i get as many steps in as possible
 
I love walking...nay rambling , in the woods next to my house , and in the mountains ( altho' no mountains around here sadly).. but I love walking everywhere..

However I've now got a 'wear & tear' knee which is how our Top London Harley Street specialists described the painful knee problem that stops me walking for more than 1/2 an hour for this last year or 2, which is a real blow to me a swift and rapid energetic walker ... and despite much physo it's not getting better, so to save myself walking along the road, and as I live at the top of a hill, and walking up the hill is extremely painful... and getting to a distance where my knee hurts too much to return without pain, I got myself a home treadmill last year... so that's what I do now.. most days at least 15 minutes on the treadmill at 4 or 5mph...
 
I have been a walker all my life. I started as a young kid on the farm hunting and trapping and I have walked over many of the world's great cities in my backpacking days rather than taking tours. My last wife and I walked 5 times/week. Now, I live in the icebox Canada in a 55 plus apartment but I still walk. I get up and do floor exercises. After breakfast I walk the hallways. No doggies for me because I am self motivated. Love to say "good morning" to all the ladies that I meet on my walks. Even to the guys! LOL When the weather improves I will return to walking outside. I really believe that you either "use it or lose it." I stand up straight and walk fast. Two days ago I moved a hide-a-bed, a sofa and an awfully heavy 4 drawer filing cabinet around here by myself. I am 75; not bragging; just the facts. I'm not Superman; just a country kid that has been walking 6 decades.
 
Oh wow, I wish my Huzz still liked to walk. I tried opening negotiations again with him tonight about selling this big place and moving to a place on a smaller lot closer to town so within walking distance of some things. And you know I told myself, don't try it, it won't work but hope springs eternal I guess (unfortunately), so I tried bringing it up again and that was a mistake. Him: "This place is perfect! Why would we want to be closer to town?!" Me: "So we could walk to things." Him: "I don't want to walk ANYWHERE!" [I think most U.S. men are too in love with their cars.] Me: "well, I'd sure like to be able to walk to things since I don't drive much at all anymore." Him: "Oh, you could drive if you wanted to!" [No, I really can't much anymore.]

So I really have got to give up and lower my expectations. (I've heard it said all my life that getting old means lowering and lowering even more your expectations; boy, that's been my experience.)
 
I walk around the lake by our house for 1-2 miles. On rainy days or the odd cold days I go to the gym and use the elliptical machine for 15 minutes. I go to the gym 4 days a week, regardless. When I first started walking, my hips hurt. Now that I've been walking for a year and a half, it is no longer an issue.

My partner didn't work for a period of time and didn't exercise. When we started walking, he lost 25 pounds. And we don't walk that fast.

I agree with everything in the article. If you can do it, exercise definitely improves pain and mobility. It also definitely improves mental health.
 
David777 said:
There are many websites proclaiming the benefits of regular walking, especially for seniors. As seniors, a key to not degenerating, for those able, is Use It or Lose It, with regular walking outdoors, one of the few types of exercise that affects our whole bodies. The below is just one web link.

https://www.excellenceinfitness.com/blog/7-benefits-of-walking-every-day-for-older-adults/

How often and much do you walk?
Where do you walk to within say a mile of your residence?
Do you go anywhere without driving a vehicle?
Click to expand...
I used to walk a lot but then I ended up getting a prosthetic left knee. After that, I tried to slowly do some walking again for the very reasons you mention in the OP. Not easy, so I started going to the in-door swim twice a week. I bought a ”ten visit” card so I go Tuesdays and Thursdays. I have only one visit left and was going to use it yesterday and then buy a new 10 visit card. But before I could make it I got a horrendous pain in my right knee and spent 11 hours at the hospital emergency room with morphine and x-rays. It was decided that I need another prosthetic knee but the waiting list can be up to 6 months. So, here I sit after one night of sleep, writing to you and wondering what the 🤬 I am going to do for the next six months. I have two crutches from that last operation but even with those, I can hardly take care of myself. The pain! Help me! 😰
 
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